charge or two! Oh, how I hate to let that snake get
away!"

As the wishful words spilled off his lips, he was in the act of doing
what little he could. That was wheeling around and down for another run
over the crash-diving U-boat, and letting fly with all his guns at the
top half of the submerging craft. He might possibly hit some part that
would check the dive and force the U-boat back to the surface. That was
a slim, slim hope, and it died completely as the entire craft slid out
of sight, leaving behind an empty life raft and seven bodies.

With a groan Dave cut his fire, and hauled the Vultee up out of its
dive and onto even keel. He stared down at the floating bodies, gulped,
shuddered slightly, and drew a hand across his goggles, as though that
would wipe away the scene below and make everything as it had been
before. It didn't, of course, but when he took another look downward he
found it hard to believe that Death had been whispering so close. Then
he snapped out of his trance.

"Get the nearest patrol base on the radio, Freddy, and report that
U-boat's position!" he spoke into his inter-com mike. "There's just a
chance that it may have to surface soon, and somebody else can nail it."

"Right-o!" Freddy Farmer called back. "But, gosh, I would love to be
that somebody else! Or--or has this just been a crazy dream, Dave? It
doesn't make sense! Those were blasted Nazis on the life raft.
Like--like a confounded decoy, or something. I--"

"_Decoy?_" Dave Dawson gasped, and sat up straight in the pit. "Holy
smoke! Do you suppose so? Sure, you must be right. Look, Freddy! Report
that U-boat's last position. Then we'll get out of here, but fast!
Something is kind of screwy, and I don't like it, but plenty I don't."

As Dawson nosed the Vultee around and onto its course for San Fernando
on British-owned Trinidad, he impulsively lifted his free hand to his
chest and pressed it against the two sealed envelopes and the little
vial of acid that were in his inside tunic pocket.

CHAPTER SIX

_Changed Orders_

The U. S. Army Air Transport Command at San Fernando comprised the
entire south side of the Trinidad air base. Dawson spotted the American
flag atop the Administration Building from the air. After his recent
experience, a great sense of relief and joy flooded through him at the
sight of Old Glory waving proudly in the breeze. And not only that, but
the sight of Old Glory meant also that this crazy aeri