Lannes glanced backward and downward, as well as his position would
allow.

"A French plane, yes," he said thoughtfully. "There can be no doubt of
it, but why should it follow us in this manner? You do think it's
following us, don't you, John?"

"It begins to look like it, Phil. It's rising a little now, and is
directly in our wake."

"Take a long look through those glasses of yours."

John obeyed, and the following aeroplane at once increased in size
tenfold and came much nearer.

"It's French. There cannot be any doubt of it," he said, "and only one
man is in it. As he's hidden by his flying-suit I can't tell anything
about him."

"Watch him closely, John, and keep your hand on the butt of your
automatic. I don't like that fellow's actions. Still, he may be a
Frenchman on an errand like ours. We've no right to think we're the only
people carrying important messages today."

"He's gaining pretty fast. Although he keeps below us, it looks as if he
wanted to communicate with us."

The second aeroplane suddenly shot forward and upward at a much greater
rate of speed. John, still watching through his glasses, saw the man
release the steering rudder for an instant, snatch a rifle from the