casualty
was the co-pilot. Well, I'll go aft now to see if I can do anything for
the pilot. You two can get us through all right, eh? I mean--"

"If the engines keep ticking over, we'll make it, sir," Dawson said
quietly. "The tanks were spared, praise be! So I think it will be all
good flying from here in."

"Then I'll leave you to it," the colonel said. "And--and God bless both
of you!"

Neither Dawson nor Farmer had a chance to say anything, because the
Intelligence officer quickly turned and went aft.

"Well, you convinced even me with that swell sales talk of yours,
Freddy," Dawson eventually broke the silence between them. "I guess
maybe I did hit on the right idea, at that."

"I think you did," the English youth echoed. Then with a chuckle he
added, "But I suppose I'll never hear the end of it from now on!"

"Now ain't that gratitude for you?" Dawson groaned, and shook his head
sadly. "So help me, why I keep getting that food-craving hide of yours
out of tight spots, I'll never understand. I must be nuts, I guess!"

"And for once," Freddy Farmer laughed, "I won't argue with you!"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

_Lurking Wings_

For the hundredth time Dawson dug knuckles into his tired eyes, stifled
the yawn that struggled to get up out of his throat, and took a quick
glance at Freddy Farmer seated in the co-pilot's seat. And for the
hundredth time he wondered how the English-born air ace could go through
so much and still look as fresh as a daisy.

"Boy, oh boy!" he finally blurted out. "How do you do it, anyway,
Freddy?"

The English youth glanced his way with arched eyebrows.

"How do I do what?" he wanted to know.

"Look so doggone full of pep," Dawson told him. "Here I feel like the
last rose of summer after a steam roller has run over it, and you look
like a million bucks, or more. How come? Are you taking some very secret
vitamin pills that I don't know anything about, huh?"

"Certainly not!" young Farmer replied at once. "I haven't got _that_
old, yet. But would you like to know the truth?"

"Well, if you insist on telling me, I suppose I've got to listen,"
Dawson grunted. "So shoot."

"Well, don't let my looks fool you," Farmer replied. "I may look fresh,
but I definitely am not that way inside. Fact is, I'm not quite sure
whether I am awake or asleep. And if you insist on knowing everything,
I'd be jolly glad if we would sight land."

Dawson started slightly and shot him a keen look.