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{{frabfp116.png}} || eagles of the sky ||

should fix matters so he could drop the controls
and pay strict attention to his other job.

Perk was lying low, holding himself in readiness
for action. He believed he would be amply
protected by the logs he had piled up, but just
the same he did duck his head involuntarily at
the first crack of the machine-gun the pilot of
the Curtiss boat was handling so lovingly, as
though it might be an old and valued "baby" in
his estimation.

But just the same Perk could not allow any
misunderstanding to keep the other in ignorance
of how matters stood--he had sent out his impudent
challenge, and Perk was quick to accept
it.

So the din was further increased by a second
barrage, chiming in with perhaps its notes ranged
along a little higher key, but on the whole playing
skillfully and merrily its own part in the
mad chorus that reigned.

How the chatter of those two rapid-fire guns
did carry on, with the splinters flying every-which
way as the missiles tore them loose from
the logs and the coaming of the sloop's deck.

Perk was compelled to do most of his work
while keeping his head down, lest he be potted in
that rain of bullets the other fighter was pouring
in on him. Consequently he could hardly be expected
to do himself full justice. Perhaps Oscar

[[116]]

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