led
his three high-decked boats into that unknown ocean at the end of which
he expected to come to the East Indies.

By turns they managed to get some sleep, each serving his trick as pilot.

The hours grew into early morning. How eagerly did the pilot often turn
his tired head to gaze backward toward the east, to see if but the first
faint gleam of coming dawn had appeared there. And how joyfully did he
welcome it when that desire became reality.

So the unfolding day found them, still heading onward, and with
everything promising well. Jack, of course, had his binoculars out as
soon as it was possible to see any distance. Shortly afterwards he made
an important announcement.

"Smoke head of us, fellows. Much too much to come from any one steamer.
You can see it with the naked eye, dead on there!"

After taking a good look, Tom, who was at the wheel, gave his opinion.

"It might be a vessel afire," he said slowly. "One of those tank-oil
steamers would make a fierce smoke, you know. But on the whole I rather
believe it's a convoy of troop ships going across to France."

"I never thought of that, Tom!" cried Jack, again clapping the glasses to
his eyes; "but I reckon you're right, for I can see funnels of black
smoke rising from different quarters. Yes, there must be dozens of boats
in that flotilla. What had we better do?"

"Go aloft, and try to keep out of sight among the little clouds," was the
immediate reply Tom made. "We could continue to watch, and see all that
passed below, at the same time keeping ourselves fairly invisible.
They'll hardly be looking up so as to discover a speck floating past. And
then again all that smoke is bound to make it difficult for them to see."

He lost no time in commencing a spiral climb for altitude, boring upward
with the powerful bomber in a way that was wonderful.

By degrees they attained the height desired, and once again did Tom head
into the southwest. Jack reported what he saw from time to time, calling
above the noise made by engines and propellers.

"It's a big convoy, all right," he told them. "I can see ever so many
steamships following one another in double column. Each is loaded with
our boys in khaki, I presume. Then off on either side and ahead are
little specks that I can just make out by reason of their smoke
streamers. Those must be the score or more of destroyers, guarding the
flotilla against U-boat attack. It's a great sight, let me tell you!
Here, C