out, my good man!" Freddy began menacingly. "I'll have you
know that I'm--"

"And I don't blame you for being proud that you're English, pal," Dave
broke in with a chuckle. "So would I be, if I wasn't Yank. Okay, skip
the funny crack. The reason a carrier force wouldn't come in to pick us
up is probably because of that one word pronounced _spies_! One thing we
want to keep plenty secret out here in the Southwest Pacific is the
location of our carrier task forces. So we were loaded aboard this tin
can at night, and are being sneaked out to one. Catch on?"

"Not definitely," Freddy Farmer muttered, and scowled in the darkness.
"Seems to me that a carrier task force at sea would have its own pilots,
and what not. Besides, a lot of us aboard this destroyer are Army Air
Forces pilots."

"So what?" Dave said, and shrugged. "So maybe the Navy needs help in the
air, and knows just where to get it."

"Better keep those remarks under cover, or a certain Army pilot may be
reported lost overboard!"

Dave jumped straight up at the sound of the voice at his elbow, and
whirled around in midair. When his feet came back on deck again he saw
Colonel Welsh standing in front of him.

"Gosh, you scared me, Colonel!" he gasped. "I thought a Navy pilot _had_
overheard me!"

"Good thing one didn't," the senior officer chuckled. "Plenty of rivalry
between you Army and Navy pilots. And I'm afraid there are hot heads on
both sides. Well, how are you enjoying a ride on a destroyer, eh?"

"Oh, just too, too wonderful, sir!" Dawson replied with a groan. "But I
didn't see you on the pier, Colonel. When did you come aboard? At the
last minute?"

"No, I came aboard much earlier," the Colonel replied. "I've been up in
the commander's quarters."

"Er ..." Freddy Farmer began, and faltered. "I mean," he began again, "I
don't suppose he told you, sir, where we are headed?"

The colonel laughed and shook his head.

"He didn't have to, Farmer," he replied. "You see, I already knew. But
hold on with your questions, because I don't mind telling you, now that
we've shoved off. We're making for a rendezvous with a carrier task
force a couple of hundred miles out to sea. We should contact it just
about dawn. You chaps, if you want to sleep, will have to do it on the
deck, I'm afraid. I wouldn't advise it, though, the way this ship is
smashing the swells. And the commander says that it will be even rougher
outside."

"Thanks, I think I'll stay aw