Jack could not help thinking of this as the aeroplane flew steadily along, her motor buzzing with an even sound that told all was going well. But he knew they were not out of danger yet.
A hundred things might befall before they arrived safely in Louvain.
Ahead of them loomed, in the darkness, for the moon had not yet risen, a bulking dark form.
An exclamation burst from the Frenchman's lips.
"Do you think she'll attack us?" asked Jack.
"I don't know. I can't tell yet which way she is coming. Ah!"
A long ray of light, like a radiant scimitar, glowed suddenly from the mighty aircraft, 400 feet long and capable of carrying many men and tons of explosives.
"Zey heard our engines. Zey look for us!" exclaimed de Garros.
He shot up to a greater height. He was manoeuvering to get above the Zeppelin, where her guns would be useless against the aeroplane, which was more mobile and swifter in the air than the Kaiser's immense sky-ship.
But suddenly the glowing light enveloped them in its full blaze. Dazzlingly it showed them in its rays. It was the most peculiar sensation Jack had ever experienced. It was like being stood up against a wall with a fiery sabre pressed to your breast.
With a quick movement of the wheel, de Garros sent the aeroplane out of range of the revealing light. The next moment came a sharp crackle and something screamed through the air.
"Missed!" exclaimed the aviator with satisfaction.
Again the questioning finger pointed its interrogating tip hither and yon across the night sky. Others from below now joined it in its quest.
The firing from above, and the sight of the searchlight had been rightly guessed by the Germans encamped below. They knew that a hostile aircraft was above them and were helping in the search for it.
A sharp exclamation broke from the Frenchman. He bent and fumbled with some contrivance on the floor of the aeroplane.
Fascinated, even in the midst of the awful danger they were facing high above the earth in the upper air, Jack leaned over and stared at a battery of searchlights sending out fan-shaped rays on every side.
He guessed this was the objective of de Garros' bombs. He was right.
As he gazed there was what looked like the sudden opening of a flaming fire below, and the searchlights went out as if a giant had snuffed a monstrous candle.