in a lot of other things, too," Dave added absently. "Well, it
won't be long now. We're changing course to cut down the distance.
Wonder how we're going to get aboard them? Swim?"

"I certainly hope so in your case!" Freddy snapped, and let it go at
that.

By now all of the sleeping pilots were fully awake, and were gathered at
the chain rails to fill their eyes with the impressive sight. The air
was filled with complimentary remarks by the Navy pilots aboard. And for
once the Army pilots had nothing to say. They were witnessing something
being done in expert fashion, and there was no room for chiding
wisecracks.

Signal flags fluttered up aloft the destroyer carrying the collection of
pilots, and signal flags in answer were seen to break out from one of
the carriers. A moment later the task force ships maneuvered about into
a change of position, and during the next few minutes too many things
happened too smoothly to give either Freddy or Dave a chance to take in
the entire picture. Colonel Welsh and the destroyer's commander stepped
out on the bridge along with the next in command. Names were called out.
The pilots were split into two groups, one group assigned to one side of
the destroyer, and the other group to the other side. Dave and Freddy
were assigned to the port side, and in less time than it takes to tell
about it, the destroyer ran up close alongside one of the carriers that
was practically stationary in the water. The destroyer was warped in
even closer, and at a command from the bridge the pilots went up rope
ladders and in through an opened hull door of the giant carrier towering
high above the destroyer.

And no sooner were they aboard the carrier than a young ensign took
their names, and turned them over to a seaman who in turn led them to
their assigned quarters. As a matter of fact, so smoothly and with
precision had everything functioned, that Dave's first move when he
entered the cabin he and Freddy were to share was to sit down on one of
the bunks, give a little shake of his head, and expel air from his
lungs.

"Boy, some navy!" he breathed. "No wonder they boast about it, plenty.
Gosh! Seems like only a couple of seconds ago we were bouncing along on
that tin can. And now here we are aboard this big baby that feels as
motionless as the Empire State Building. Only it isn't. She's boiling
off knots, now."

Freddy glanced out the port at the dawn-tinted waters sweeping past, and
nodded half-