that isn't the point. Our
advantage of surprise on this maneuver would be completely lost. We
might even sustain some damage, and be forced to put back to port. And
that, of course, is the one thing we can't afford to do. There isn't too
much time on our side as it is. So the only thing we can do, now, is to
carry out our substitute plan. Just as soon as darkness settles down
we're going to change course to due north and sneak right up by the
Solomons to the searching area. By light tomorrow we hope to be well
north of the Islands and out of sight of their patrol planes based
there."

As the colonel stopped Dawson whistled softly.

"That'll be cutting it close!" he said. "Here's hoping we don't bump
into a couple of their destroyers on the prowl, and get our hand
tipped."

"Yes, here's hoping!" the colonel said almost fervently. "If they spot
us sneaking by the Islands our whole maneuver will go higher than a
kite. But we've got to take that chance, and pray as none of us has ever
prayed before."

"Amen!" Freddy Farmer breathed softly.

CHAPTER EIGHT

_Eagle's Eyes_

When darkness settled down, the two-carrier task force changed course to
due north, spread out considerably, and went churning forward at full
knots, and with not so much as a speck of light showing any place. For a
couple of hours after evening mess Dawson and Farmer loafed around on
deck, as did almost everybody else who was not on duty. Little was
spoken, though, in the way of conversation, and then only in low tones.
From bow to stern, and from keel to signal bridge, there prevailed an
atmosphere of tense, silent excitement. Everybody aboard knew that the
task force would pass almost within a stone's throw of the Jap occupied
Solomons some time during the night. And every other split second at
least a hundred pair of eyes peered out over the port rail at the wall
of night to the west.

Eventually, though, the desire for sleep was stronger than the desire to
remain awake just in case. And so one by one the pilots went below. And
Dave and Freddy were among the first in the parade.

"This isn't any pleasure cruise, so we might as well catch all the
shut-eye we can," Dave summed it up as he stretched out in his bunk.
"It's a cinch the Admiral isn't going to send word around when we reach
the closest point to the Solomons, so why stay up on deck staring at
nothing but darkness?"

"Quite," Freddy murmured. "And if the force is sighted we