the general to know they were going out with the
amphibian.

"O.K. Just get aboard and find a place to sit down."

Stan and Allison climbed aboard the freighter. The crew paid no
attention to them but went on lashing cargo into place, cramming all
sorts of odd repair parts into every corner.

Ensign Thomas came aboard and took his place beside his copilot. Stan
and Allison sat on the only two vacant seats along the arching ribs of
the ship. They were careful not to take the space reserved for the crew.

The freighter slid out into the bay and soon she was slapping the step
of the lazy waves. A few seconds later she lifted and was off, rising
slowly, roaring along like a gorged pelican. She did not have a machine
gun or a cannon aboard and she was going it alone. The two fighter
pilots, used to a bank of Brownings in front of them, felt uneasy. If a
Heinkel or an Me 110 showed up, the old girl would be a dead duck.

No enemy planes showed up, however, and the freighter bored along.
Ahead of them the sun was settling down into the sea, filling the air
with golden haze and making the water glow like sapphire. Just at sunset
the freighter swung inshore and eased down over the harbor at Bizerte.
Two fighter planes from a carrier lying offshore zoomed around her as
she came in. She hit the water and glided in to a mooring.

"Passengers ashore!" Bert Thomas called back.

As they piled out Stan and Allison saluted the skipper. "Thanks a
million," Stan said.

"Right fine of you, old man," Allison chimed in.

"Glad to give you a hand," Thomas said as he turned to the job of
unloading.

Stan and Allison shoved through the crowds along the docks. They were
eager to get in touch with Colonel Benson and get back on the job.
Everywhere they could see signs of the coming invasion attempt.
Thousands of ships and barges and warcraft lay in the harbor or
offshore. Men swarmed everywhere, while tanks and trucks and mobile guns
rattled down to the water front.

The boys caught a ride with an air force truck headed toward their
field. The truck took them to within a few blocks of headquarters. When
they hopped out, Stan said:

"Here goes nothing. Wonder what the Old Man will say?"

"We'll be lucky to be able to see him at all. He'll be very busy,"
Allison drawled.

Reaching headquarters they spoke to an orderly. The soldier regarded
them closely.

"Yes, Colonel Benson is in his office."

"Tell him Lieutenants Wilson and