The Percy Westerman Omnibus by Percy Francis Westerman

Author:Percy Francis Westerman [Westerman, Percy Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Naval Fiction
Google: xlTQygAACAAJ
Publisher: Nisbet & Company
Published: 1935-07-14T12:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER XII

KAYBURN, THE AIRMAN

ON the day following Cain's interview with General Leon y Poseda the bombardment of the town of Bomanares was resumed with more than its usual vigour; so much so that when the general took the pirate captain in his car to visit the Air establishment, the road on the out skirts of the town was subjected to such a furious shelling that to proceed was too risky a procedure for the Paraquilan officer. Cain, glancing at his companion, could see that Poseda had the wind up — badly. Nor was the driver in a better state. He was trembling like a leaf.

"It is frightful," commented Poseda. "They will smash the car."

"In that case, suppose we walk?" suggested Cain coolly.

Poseda made no reply.

"I hope I'm not keeping you from your duties," continued Cain. "In view of the serious nature of the offensive, perhaps you ought to be with the troops."

"It is unnecessary," replied the general, failing to note the thinly-veiled sarcasm. "My orders were sent to the troops two hours ago. Dios! The firing is fearful. The enemy must have got hold of some new kind of shell, and many of them."

Viewed from a hollow half-way up the side of a hill, the bombardment did not strike Cain as being intensive. The shells were of a high-explosive type, doing little damage — except where they actually hit, the force of the charge going for the most part straight up in the air. It was the deafening crashes that got on Poseda's nerves.

Presently through the glasses Cain noticed a strong force of hostile infantry issuing from the trenches with the evident intention of rushing a position on the slope of a hill. The position, of course, would give the enemy a chance to penetrate the cordon of forts on the landward side of the town.

The infantry advanced in open order, receiving little, if any, resistance from the Paraquilans holding the defences. Possibly the latter had been completely demoralised by the initial bombardment. At any rate, hardly a rifle-shot rang out, and the defending ordnance was silent.

"General," remarked Cain. " It looks as if you are wanted to stop that assault. Are there no reserves to be rushed up?"

Poseda stirred uneasily. There was now no reason why the car should not proceed, for the shelling of the road had ceased.

Before he could frame a reply, the loud drone of an aeroplane was heard almost immediately overhead. On the underside of its lower main planes were the distinctive markings of the Paraquil del Norte Air Service. It was the same bus that had driven off the Ouro Preto gunboats in pursuit of the Nike.

The biplane attacked, but Cain noticed what he had previously commented upon before — the apparent reluctance of the airman to get within effective range. Maintaining a height of about three thousand feet, he dropped bomb after bomb, all of which fell wide of the now bunched up troops as they converged towards their objective.

Yet the airman turned the scale of battle.

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