“I’ve used up all my kerosene, sir!” Jack declared in sudden consternation. “And I’m quite sure this jet plane won’t run on gas.”

“Oh, don’t let that worry you!” was the Commander’s instant reply. “You’ve been around this old flat-top long enough. You should know that we carry a greater variety of goods and supplies than you’d find in a department store. We service the entire task force.”

“Sure, I know. But kerosene—”

“We carry that for land operations. You can’t set up an electric light plant overnight—you have to go back to the lamp-and-lantern age. Besides, many of the small island crafts burn kerosene in their motors. We’ll have a drum up from below at once.”

“One thing I want to know,” said the Commander, “and that’s the range of this ship. I’ve heard they’re hard on fuel. We’ll have the boys rig up a belly tank on your jet plane. Then you and I will give the ship a good tryout together.”
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“That’s okay with me, sir,” said Jack.

“It’s not just for fun, or to try out a new toy. I want to warn you,” said the Commander, “that if this jet plane has enough range she’ll be the first scout sent out over Mindanao. It’s going to be very important that we have accurate information regarding ships in the harbor. With this plane you should be able to get that information and come back alive.”

“It will be a great honor, sir!” Jack replied soberly.

When the belly tank had been rigged and the jet plane fueled, they took off.

“If I were sure of the oxygen equipment, sir,” said Jack as he set the jet plane climbing, “I’d take you to the stratosphere. There we’d really have distance aplenty.”

“That can wait,” was the answer. “Climb to five thousand, level off, then follow the course the task force has just covered. Our fighters are maintaining a night watch for snoopers, but if our fuel holds out we’ll cover a much greater distance than they.”
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Jack followed instructions, then, having set the ship at an economical speed, settled back to think of many things—of the island they had left, of the three Japs, and of the German who had gone over the cliff. He could easily imagine what had happened to them. However, to guess how they had come into possession of this American-made jet plane was not so easy.

He thought of Mary Brown and Ted. Mary was a good-looking girl—with her island brown off and a touch of an American lady’s war paint on. He thought Ted had rather fallen for her. Had he done the same? There was Patsy. There was always Patsy back home.

“How’s your fuel, Jack?” the Commander asked.

“I’ll have a look, sir.” Jack studied his gauge. “Not bad,” he reported. “Under present conditions we should do eight hundred miles.”

“That’s all anyone can hope for. How do you account for this ship’s efficiency?” the Commander asked.

“Well, you see, sir, it’s my understanding that a new alloy has been developed that will withstand a very high temperature. Then the jets are deflected by setting them at right angles to the air stream. Of course,” he demurred, “I only learned a little—I read it in a scrapbook. All I really know is that this plane’s got speed and can carry enough fuel to take you places and permit you to do things,” Jack laughed happily. “That’s all I ask of any plane.”
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“It’s all anyone can ask,” said the Commander. “But let me tell you one thing, son, if a cannon ball or even a slug from a machine gun ever penetrates the wall of the combustion chamber in this plane, with all that heat she’ll burn like a match!”

“It’s protected partially, at least, with steel plate, sir,” Jack replied soberly. “But why let the enemy get a crack at you when you’ve got a ship like this?”

“Why, indeed?” agreed the Commander. “All you have to do is turn on the oxygen and climb for the stars. You—”

The Commander broke off to listen intently. “Jack!” he said. “Shut off that squeal and drift down a bit.”

Jack silenced his engine. Then he heard it. The thunder of a powerful plane.

“A snooper!” he exclaimed.

“He’s up ahead some distance.” The Commander listened again. “Coming this way. That’s my judgment.”

“He’s a good two hundred and fifty miles from our task force, sir,” Jack suggested.

“Too close. Start your motor.”

Jack obeyed. “And no............