heir headphones being connected,
Freddy Farmer had heard the orders at the same time. And so, naturally,
he asked no questions about Dave's sudden and violent maneuver. As a
matter of fact he said nothing. He simply sat tight in his pit, and like
Dave riveted his eyes on the eastern sky ahead.

The east was a little smudgy because night was approaching. Also there
were some cloud banks hanging in the sky that cast all kinds of crazy
shadows. As a matter of fact, half a dozen times Dawson was dead sure he
spotted the shadow of a moving plane hugging close to the clouds. But
each time he opened his mouth to call out to Freddy Farmer the "shadow"
just melted away into nothing.

Eventually, though, Freddy Farmer's eagle eyes scored a hit on something
that wasn't just a shadow that melted away the next time he looked. He
called out sharply to Dave, and pointed with his hand.

"A lone aircraft ahead and about ten degrees to starboard, Dave!" he
announced. "See it? Just under that cloud that's shaped like a pear. See
it? See...? By Jove, Dave, get us more speed! That's a blasted Jap
snooper! Good grief! And this far south? Wait! Yes, Dave, yes! It is one
of their four-engined Kawanishi flying boats, just as sure as you're a
foot high. Blast them! Way down here snooping on us!"

For some four or five seconds Dawson didn't make any reply. He leaned
forward in the seat, as though that would aid his vision, and stared
hard at the heavens ahead and ten degrees to starboard. But for those
number of seconds he couldn't see a single thing that increased his
heart beat. Then, suddenly, he did see it. He saw the huge four-engined
long range flying boat type of craft that the Japs had copied from the
type of flying boat that the French had used before the war on the mail
and passenger run between Dakar and Brazil. Now that he could see it he
was amazed that he hadn't seen it much sooner because of its tremendous
size. The wing span was a good one hundred and thirty-two feet, and the
hull made him think of a good sized destroyer. And as he peered at it
and impulsively tried to force the Dauntless on to even greater speed by
pressing the heel of one palm hard against the already wide open
throttle, he realized without getting any closer that the huge flying
boat was well armed.

"Don't you see it yet, Dave?" Freddy Farmer's voice cut into this
thoughts. "It's just under--"

"Don't worry; I spot it, eagle eyes!" Dawson cut him off. "I