"
"And our biggest catch is coming now! Look, Weber, look I If that isn't
one of Herr Zeppelin's railroad trains of the air then I'll eat it when
it gets here!"
"You're right, Mr. Scott. There the monster comes. It can't be anything
but a Zeppelin! They must have one of their big sheds not far east of
us."
"We'll hear its rattling soon. Like the others it will surely see our
flag and make for it. But if they take a notion to shoot up the wood, as
the men on that biplane did, we'd better hunt holes. A Zeppelin can
carry a lot of soldiers."
The Zeppelin was not moving fast. It had none of the quick graceful
movements of the aeroplanes, but came on slowly like some huge monster
of the air, looking about for prey. It turned southeast for a moment or
two, then some one on board saw the flag and coming back it lumbered
toward the tree.
"Ugly things," said John. "Lannes and I blew up one once, and I wish I
had the same chance against that fellow up there. But they're in the
same puzzled state that the other fellows were. Men on both platforms
are examining the flag through glasses, and the flag doesn't give a rap
for them. It's standing out in the wind, now, straight and stiff. It
seems to know that old Noah's ark can't make it out."
The huge Zeppelin drew its length along the grove, coming as close to
the trees as it dared, then passed above, and after some circling
lumbered away to the south.
"Good-bye, old Mr.
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