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CHAPTER XIX.
HOW ZEEBRUGGE WAS BOMBARDED
On their way up the coast there had been several occasions when, for a brief space of time, as a cloud was encountered, the onrushing fleet of seaplanes was swathed in a flurry of blinding snow. That was why Frank expressed the wish nothing of the kind might occur while the bombardment of the Belgian town on the edge of the Channel was in progress.
Zeebrugge is at the terminus of a canal, and had no sooner fallen into the hands of the Kaiser’s forces than they realized it would make an admirable place from which to start their submarine vessels against the shipping accustomed to using the English Channel.
The submarines were sent there in sections and assembled in shipyards arranged for that purpose. In fact, as the war progressed, Zeebrugge was rapidly becoming a very important center of military and naval industry.
As Frank well knew, Antwerp might have served the purposes of the Germans much better, but to reach the sea, vessels would have to cross a section of Holland, and the pugnacious little Dutch country had declared she would resist such invasion of her rights to the last man and vessel. As the Hollanders have always been good fighters, with an army of half a million men to back them, Germany had wisely chosen to make use of Zeebrugge.
Billy reported that the same excitement existed as at Ostend. Everywhere there were men seen running, and pointing upward toward the flock of aërial war craft.
“And I don’t blame them a bit for being scared,” he went on to say. “Two or three aëroplanes at a time are bad enough, but thirty in a bunch – holy smoke! it would frighten any American community half out of their wits, I’m thinking.”
“There goes the first shot at us!” announced Pudge, and it was strange how he, unconsciously perhaps, seemed to include the Sea Eagle in the list of invading aircraft, though they did not mean to lift a hand against the defenders of Zeebrugge.
“It fell far short,” observed Billy. “They’re so worked up they hardly know what they are doing. This time I reckon the seaplanes mean to keep above the reach of the shrapnel.”
“In which they show their good sense,” Pudge replied. “It only takes a little hit to bring an aëroplane down to the ground; and if a pilot and his helper ever dropped from this distance it means good-by.”
Except when one of the shrapnel shells broke below them, the air was clear enough for the boys to see everything that went on. Billy soon began to complain, as usual.
“Say, it’s ten times worse than a three-ringed circus,” he declared. “You can’t, with so many pilots dropping bombs while they circle around, possibly watch more than a small part of what’s happening down there.”
“Keep an eye on that mole along the edge of the water,” advised Frank. “That is where the submarines stay when they’re in port, and it’s being pounded pretty lively, you notice.”
“But why waste so much ammunition on an empty dock?” asked Billy.
“It’s of importance that they destroy it,” Frank explained. “I’ve got an idea they expect there may be several submerged boats alongside the mole. Perhaps, when the Germans had word from Ostend that the terrible air fleet was headed this way they guessed that the main object of the raid was to destroy their undersea boats; so they would be apt to sink them of their own accord, and in the natural way.”
They hovered over the spot, making short circles so they could witness all that occurred. M. Le Grande had produced binoculars from some part of his person, and was keeping them glued to his eyes constantly.
No doubt, in time to come, the boy aviators would often picture that wonderful scene in their minds when lying in their peaceful beds at home. With the buzzing of the flying seaplanes that darted to and fro, the sharp bursting of the shrapnel in furious volleys, and the heavier sound of the guns themselves far beneath, it certainly was an event never to be forgotten by those fortunate enough to be able to experience it at first hand.
Now one of them would call the attention of his comrades to some special feature of the battle scene that had caught his eye; and hardly would they rivet their gaze upon this before something else quite as thrilling called for notice.
They could even tell when the bombs, which the aviators were dropping, burst or failed in their intended mission. Long practice had made the airmen fairly accurate, though many of their missiles would be wasted, of course, and others go wide of the mark.
The sea wall was battered out of shape under the hurricane of bombs sent at it. Further on cars and motors were smashed when another well directed shot burst in their midst, causing a wild stampede on the part of a company of gray-coated Bavarians. These men had been firing several of the guns that could be elevated at an angle of almost fifty degrees, and were made especially with the idea of bringing down aircraft.
Several of the hostile airmen seemed to have marked out an oil tank as the target of their aim. It was a small thing to strike at such a distance, and a number of shots had gone wild. As though provoked at such a waste of precious ammunition, one of the most venturesome of the pilots suddenly swooped downward.
“Oh! watch him!” cried Pudge. “Now there’s going to be something doing worth seeing. I take off my hat to that chap for daring!”
He stopped talking then, for he had to actually hold his breath with admiration and fear while watching the evolutions of the bold voyager of the air.
The birdman swung this way and that with an eccentric movement that effectually balked the designs of the gunners to burst a shrapnel shell close to him. His altitude changed constantly, so they were unable to regulate the fuses of their shells to meet the conditions.
It looked as though he were simply defying them to do their worst, or begging a Taube of the enemy to risk rising to engage in a duel with him.
“Why, he’s right over their heads now, for you can hear all sorts of rifles going off in volleys,” said Billy. “Let’s hope he keeps out of their range.”
“Dories and dingbats, but doesn’t it beat anything you ever heard tell of?” Pudge was heard to say as he leaned over and watched the exciting picture; though he afterward declared it made him dizzy to see so many seaplanes speeding this way and that like angry bees when the hive is being robbed.
“Watch!” called Frank, who guessed from the signs that the bold pilot must by this time have reached a point where he was ready to have his assistant make the next cast.
Yes, they could see that he was leaning over now and apparently balancing some object in his hand. The seaplane grew somewhat steadier in its motion, as though they were willing to take additional chances in order to obtain stability.
“There it goes!” shouted Billy, after which they all stared, and listened to ascertain what the result of the cast would be.
There came an upheaval, accompanied by a billow of flame and dense black smoke that rose in a cloud. The aviator had succeeded at great peril to himself in dropping his bomb directly on the tank, with the result that a large quantity of precious gasoline or oil was lost to the enemy.
Even as high up as the Sea Eagle chanced to be at the time, those who were seated in the car could feel the wave of air concussion. The seaplane from which the fatal bomb had been dropped was seen to rock and plunge very much as a ship would in a gale at sea; but the navigator who controlled the levers knew his business, and managed to keep from turning turtle, a fate that all aviators view with unpleasant sensations.
Having accomplished his part of the raid, and earned the commendation of his superiors, the gallant airman began to climb the spiral staircase again, seeking a safer altitude. If all the others could do one-half as well as he had this raid would not soon be forgotten by the defenders of Zeebrugge.
“Not a single Taube have we seen since starting out!” said Pudge.
“Well, can you blame them for keeping under cover?” demanded Billy. “What could they do against thirty big seaplanes such as we’ve got with us? A rain of bombs would be the portion of any German pilot rash enough to put up a fight. He’d be courting sure death if he as much as showed his head.”
In the beginning of the war the Germans were far superior to either the British or the French with their aircraft. Their Taubes and Zeppelins caused much alarm in many a French and Belgian city as they flew over and dropped destructive bombs in the endeavor to terrorize the enemy.
That time, however, had gone by, and the assembling of this fleet of big British seaplanes was a plain notice to the Kaiser that the day of his supremacy of the air had passed into other hands, and that henceforth his aviators were to find themselves outclassed for daring and skill.
Around and around the hostile planes circled, each spitting out from time to time a fresh supply of deadly missiles that rained destruction on the military works below. Of course, it would presently come to an end. Then the wonderful fleet, having exhausted their supply of ammunition, would take up the return journey, leaving to the defenders of Zeebrugge the unpleasant task of counting up their great losses, and trying to conceal much of the truth, as all sides invariably do under similar conditions.
Frank was anticipating seeing some signal flying from the chief seaplane, a sort of “cease firing” order. It was just at this time that Billy discovered another exciting event being enacted, and called the attention of his companions to the fact.
“I’ve been watching that chap trying to hit that magazine for some time,” he called out. “He seems to be in hard luck, and now he’s going down like the other one did to tackle the thing at closer quarters. I only hope he gets through as well as the first one did.”
“Yes, there hasn’t been a single accident worth mentioning so far,” declared Pudge. “I’d hate to see him dropped like a stone. Rafts and rattlesnakes, but listen to the row they’re keeping up. They just seem to know what he’s trying to do. Look at them running away from that magazine like rats deserting a sinking ship.”
Swooping down, the Allies’ aviator was seen to head almost directly over the object of his particular attention. Calmly he measured the distance with his practiced eye, while the pilot slowed the seaplane down to a moderate speed.
They were in a perfect storm of bursting shrapnel, and at times the smoke fairly concealed the moving machine. Once Pudge gave a low cry of dismay, for he thought he had seen the seaplane plunging earthward a wreck, when there would be no question about the fate of its venturesome occupants.
Then he took fresh heart as a puff of air blew the white and gray smoke aside, and it was discovered that the aëroplane was still afloat.
“Oh! why doesn’t he do it?” cried Pudge. “It seems as if my heart would climb up in my throat, I’m that worried. Throw now! There, he’s going to do it, boys, don’t you see? I wonder if that shot will be any better – ”
Pudge did not finish his sentence, for just then there was a frightful roaring sound. The magazine was seen to fly to a million pieces, while up rose a vast cloud of smoke. The atmosphere was made to fairly quake under the tremendous concussion, so that Pudge clutched hold of Billy, who was alongside, as though he actually feared they would be overturned and hurled into space.
Frank’s heart also seemed to stand still, but it was not on account of any fear for himself. When through the rising billow of black smoke he saw that the daring author of this last blow at the invader’s army was apparently uninjured, Frank breathed freely again.
CHAPTER XX.
CAUGHT IN A SNOW SQUALL
“Oh! they did it after all!” Pudge cried out as they saw the reckless British birdmen in the seaplane start to run the gantlet of gunfire preparatory to rising once more to a safe height.
That was about the feeling of relief that seized upon them all. The deed had been so wonderfully daring that Frank and his two chums would have cheered its successful culmination no matter whether a Frenchman, a Britisher or a German had piloted the aircraft that carried it out – it was the men they applauded, not their nationality.
“How long is this terrible bombardment going to keep up, do you think, Frank?” asked Billy, for it seemed to him he had been gazing on the astounding picture for an hour, so many things had followed fast on each other’s heels.
“I expect that was the crowning stroke,” replied Frank, making himself heard only with some difficulty, owing to the clamor all around them from bursting shrapnel, accompanied by the duller sounds coming up from the distant earth.
“Then the aviators are getting low in their stock of ammunition,” affirmed the observant Billy, “because I can see lots of things they’d still like to smash.”
“Most of them have already stopped throwing bombs,” Pudge declared. “That looks as if they’d reached the end of their resources.”
“Yes,” added Frank, “there goes a signal from the chief, and it must mean the time has come to start on the return journey.”
Even the seaplane that had undertaken the perilous task of dropping down so as to make a sure job of blowing up the magazine had by now managed to climb to the level of the other fliers. A general movement was noticed, heading toward the south, and which must have been observed with great satisfaction by the sadly harassed defenders of Zeebrugge, who could now proceed to count up damages.
“It’s been a wonderful trip for us,” remarked Billy, as they again soared above the fleet, and kept up “without half trying,” as he himself would have said.
“The greatest thing about it, according to my mind!” Pudge declared, “is that not a single plane was brought down with all that firing. Why, even up where we were I heard a queer singing noise several times, that must have been made by parts of the bursting shrapnel shells. They’re filled chock full of bullets and all that sort of thing, I understand. How about that, Frank?”
“Yes,” the pilot told him, “as far as I know what is called shrapnel to-day is pretty much the same as grape and canister used to be in the time of our Civil War. It scatters in every direction, but is driven now by a much more powerful explosive than in the old days when gunpowder alone was used.”
“Now that you mention it, Pudge,” said Billy, “I heard some of those whining noises myself. It must have been our swift movements that kept us from being struck; and that’s what makes it so hard for ground guns to fetch an aëroplane down.”
“Yes,” Frank continued, “anyone who has tried to stop a duck speeding past at the rate of seventy miles an hour knows what small chances he has to wing the quacker. It takes nice judgment and a quick eye to do it.”
“So our excursion with the air raiders is all over, is it?” Billy asked, with a tinge of regret in his tone; for being engaged in the building of aëroplanes he naturally took the keenest interest in seeing such a fleet of the aircraft in action.
“I was thinking of making a proposition to M. Le Grande here,” ventured Frank, without, however, taking his attention from his levers.
The experienced French aviator had been observing everything that occurred with almost breathless interest. He had clapped his hands enthusiastically and cried “bravo! bravo!” when the bold British birdmen made that death dip, and succeeded in blowing up the magazine, taking terrible risks of perishing themselves when the air waves caused their machine to dance madly.
At hearing Frank say this he showed a keen interest in the possibility of something new developing that had not been on the program.
“I should be pleased to hear what it is, young m’sieu,” he now hastened to say.
“Since the raid is over with,” Frank commenced, “and the fleet bound for Dunkirk and Calais, where we understand the tired pilots will rest a few days before returning across the Channel, how would you like to have me take you out over the battle lines as we saw them yesterday?”
Pudge showed uncommon interest immediately. He had heard so much about the astonishing sights witnessed on that occasion by his two chums that it would always be a source of bitter regret to him should he have no opportunity to see the war picture for himself.
The Frenchman did not let a second go by, such was his eagerness to accept the proposition advanced by Frank.
“That is charming of you, I must say, young m’sieu,” he declared enthusiastically. “If you would be so kind it would place me under heavy obligations. To see how your wonderful Sea Eagle can act under new and novel conditions would complete my day, the most memorable of all my experiences, and they have been many, I assure you, messieurs.”
“Then there is really no need of our going down the coast any further,” Frank explained. “We might as well make a sharp turn to the east here, and say good-by to our gallant companions.”
As they did this, the action was noted by many of the speeding airmen; and while they could only guess at the object of the change, this did not interfere with their calling out and waving to the boys.
Looking back, Billy and Pudge could see the flock growing smaller in the distance as they scurried along like a covey of partridges. Well had they done their duty for the homeland on that day, and their hearts were beating proudly as they could see, in imagination, their names on the Roll of Honor for Britain’s sons.
Then Billy and Pudge tried to forget all about the late raid, for they knew they would have plenty of excitement to the square inch with what lay before them.
Just below where they broke away from the fleet of birdmen lay Ostend, basking in the February sunshine. It may have been fairly comfortable down there, but it was pretty cold half a mile up in the air, and the boys had reason to be thankful for their warm clothing and head hoods.
Attention was now called to the land over which they had commenced to fly, leaving the coast line behind. The Frenchman and Pudge in particular were observing everything with undisguised eagerness. While the experienced aviator had doubtless taken many a trip himself over just such a landscape, the conditions had never been just the same as they were now. As for Pudge, this was his baptism of fire in a seaplane, and as far as he had gone he rather liked it.
The great checkerboard lay below them. A hundred different phases of the landscape engaged their attention. They could see villages, towns, railway lines, and even fortifications that may have been erected by the German invaders in order to defend some monster gun that was aimed seaward, so as to give trouble to men-o’-war passing along the Belgian coast.
Billy and Pudge kept up a running fire of comment. Dozens of things were constantly attracting attention which had to be pointed out. Frank was not trying to make any great speed since there was no need of haste.
When they felt that they had gone far enough, and the spirit moved them, he changed the course, and they once more struck for Dunkirk on the French coast.
“No Taubes in sight yet, I notice?” Billy cried out gleefully; for he remembered how those German aëroplanes had risen like a swarm of angry hornets on the occasion of their previous visit.
“The news of the great raid must have been wired all over the country before now,” Frank explained. “Orders may have been given to keep all their Zeppelins and other aircraft housed until the danger is over.”
“Can you blame them?” laughed Billy. “They heard that as many as fifty seaplanes – for things are always stretched, you know, in the telling – were chasing up and down their coast, smashing everything to pieces. They therefore would wait and then raid the Allies’ quarters with a vengeance.”
“Yes,” added Pudge, “and right now I warrant you many a pair of field glasses is turned up this way, and all sorts of guesses are made about what sort of queer craft is whizzing over them. If your Government gets this seaplane, Mister Le Grande, and makes a bunch of them from the sample, you’ll give the enemy cold feet right away.”
“It is a wonderful machine, I am ready to declare; superb, beyond anything that I had ever dreamed could be made. I have only praise, I assure you,” was what the Frenchman told them in his explosive way.
“I guess that settles the business then,” remarked Pudge to Billy, meaning that the report made by the aviator must convince the French Government it was greatly to their interest to conclude the bargain with the Sea Eagle Company, Ltd., as originally entered into, for the delivery of this sample seaplane, and the privilege of making as many others, on royalty, as they chose within a given time.
This would be the only way of settling the matter, since no machines could be shipped from America without a breach of neutrality, as the Government at Washington had recently declared.
The sea had now been left far behind, and Frank was veering their course somewhat toward the southeast, as though he meant to cover a different field from the first land journey.
Billy noticed this, and asked questions in order to settle matters in his own mind.
“I reckon now, Frank,” he began, “you’ve got some plan up your sleeve to make a wide circuit and see something of what’s going on down along the border of France? How about it?”
“We’re covering a strip of Belgium right now,” said the pilot, “and you can see the unfinished canal used by the Kaiser’s troops as trenches, besides all sorts of other sights where the water has flooded the lowlands when the dikes were cut in the fall by the Belgians. Now we might like to take a peep at Lille, and see what is going on in a different kind of country – where there are hills and valleys.”
“That would be fine!” exclaimed Pudge, thinking only of the wonderful pictures that would be spread out beneath them as they sailed over just below the occasional fleecy clouds.
“Of course it would be more dangerous work,” Frank hastened to tell them.
“You mean we would be shot at by batteries on the hilltops, don’t you, Frank?” Billy questioned.
“Partly that,” he was told, “and also from the treacherous cross-currents of air we would be apt to strike in such a hilly country. You never know when you may hit an air pocket, a vacuum in which danger lies for the aëroplane that is loafing, since it is apt to drop like a plummet. But we’ll have to risk all those things. If we come through all right, we’ll consider that we were well rewarded.”
“Here’s another of those nasty snow squalls heading this way, Frank!” burst out Pudge. “That makes the sixth we’ve struck. Say, let me tell you this one looks like business, too, it spreads out so wide.”
“Isn’t there any way to avoid it, Frank – by climbing up higher, for instance?” demanded Billy, as he drew his hood closer around his cheeks, and made ready to “take his medicine,” as he called it.
“Too late to try that now,” Frank told him. “All we can do is to hold tight, and keep pressing straight along. We’ll hope it isn’t so very big a cloud. Steady now, everybody!”
“Do your prettiest, old Sea Eagle,” Pudge was heard to call out as the beginning of the snow squall struck them. Ten seconds later they were shrouded as in a white pall by the scurrying flakes, urged on by a wind that made the seaplane rock and dance in alarming manner.
