and Smithy followed
suit, as he said: "That's right; we don't want any feather beds flying
around here in case of a mix-up."

Even Culver's simple act of stowing the blankets back in their little
compartment thrilled him with what it portended. His nerves were
suddenly aquiver with anticipation. A real fight! A determined effort!
No telling what these big dreadnoughts could do. Two hundred, big and
little, Captain Farrell had said. If they could catch the enemy out in
the open, show him up in a blaze of enormous flares....

Captain Farrell was calling them. A section of the floor had been
raised up mysteriously to form a platform beneath the shallow dome of
the conning tower. Farrell was there, headphones clamped to his ears,
one hand on the little switchboard at the base of the glass dome that
kept him in touch with every station on the ship. Beside him was the
fire-control officer similarly equipped, though his headphone was
connected only with the gun crews.

* * * * *

"The enemy's out!" said Captain Farrell. "And not just where they were
expected--they're raising fourteen kinds of hell. The ships have been
ordered in. I'm hooked up with the radio room now. They're less than a
hundred miles ahead. Of course we won't mix in on it, but I thought it
best to have my men standing by."

He pressed a little lever on his switchboard and spoke into the
mouthpiece of his head-set. "Pilot room? Our two passengers, Colonel
Culver and Mr. Smith, are coming forward. Let them see whatever they
can of the show."

He gave the two a quick smile and a nod and waved them forward with
the binoculars in his free hand. "It will be 'lights out' after you
get there. We'll be flying dark except for wing and tail lights up on
top. The enemy's movements are uncertain; perhaps he can see us
anyway, but we won't advertise ourselves to him."

The ship's bow was a blunt, rounded nose of glass, cut by cross bars
of aluminum alloy. That deeper central portion of the big flying wing
was carried ten feet forward; it was but one of many details that
Smithy had looked at with interest when he had seen the ship waiting
for them on the field.

* * * * *

The pilot room was dark when they entered. Only the glow from the
instrument panel showed the two men who were seated behind the wheel
controls. One of them turned and nodded a welcome.

"Can't offer you gentlemen seats," he said,