, I think I can get it."

The man standing on the tiny raft seemed to wait a moment or two, as
though he were striving to rally his waning strength for another effort.
Then he started waving his shirt again. It was a short message, and both
boys got it without bothering to jot down each letter. The message
signaled was:

FLY OVER LOW PLEASE, IMPORTANT

"What do you make of that, Freddy?" Dawson asked, and dipped the
Vultee's nose even more. "Does he think we're a rescue plane that's come
to drop food and water, poor devil?"

"I don't know," the English youth replied. "Possibly. Or maybe there's
something on the raft he wants us to see. The only thing to do is to go
down and find out. I say! I've just remembered! I have some chocolate,
Dave. I'll tie it up in my handkerchief and try to drop it right onto
the raft, if you get us down low enough. But, for heaven's sake, don't
hit the raft, or the water!"

"Aw gee!" Dawson grated at him. "And that's just what I was planning to
do, too! You spoil all my fun, you dope! Act your age, will you?"

"Just don't take us down too low," Freddy Farmer reminded him evenly.

Dawson opened his mouth to make a fitting retort. Instead he shrugged,
let Freddy's remark slide, and concentrated on getting the Vultee down
as low as he possibly could. When he had reached an altitude of some ten
or fifteen feet, he throttled the Wright Cyclone until it was just a
shade on the good side of stalling. He guided it toward the tiny life
raft. The shirt-waver had ceased his signaling and was crouching down on
the raft as though he were afraid Dawson was going to bounce the
Vultee's belly off the top of his hatless head.

"So you're also silly enough to think I'll come too close?" Dawson
growled, as he experienced a moment of annoyance. "Well, relax, fellow!
Just relax, and let's have a look at the meaning of that message. Okay,
Freddy! Get set to drop that chocolate!"

As he spoke, he impulsively started to jerk his head around. Some inner
warning cut short his effort, and it was that inner warning that
unquestionably saved his life, and Freddy Farmer's life, too. In other
words, just as he was about to turn his head for a look at Young
Farmer, all four men on the raft sprang to crouching positions. Each
gripped a sub-machine gun in his hands and blazed away at the coasting
Vultee!

True, Dawson's sudden inner warning had helped, but it was his
instinctive reaction to sudden danger that act