take off, we might catch him, but we haven't. Oh, well,
there's no use in crying over spilt milk. How soon will that amphibian
be ready to take off?"

"In twenty minutes. Doctor," replied the Engineering Officer. "As soon
as we finish filling the tanks and test the motor, she'll be ready to
ramble."

"Hurry all you can. Hang a half dozen hundred-pound bombs and a few
twenty-fives on the racks. Lower her over the side as soon as she's
ready. Where's Lieutenant McCready?"

"Below, getting into his flying togs, Doctor."

"Good enough. Come on, Carnes, we'll go below and put on our fur-lined
panties, too. We'll probably need them."

* * * * *

In half an hour the amphibian rose from the water. Lieutenant McCready
was at the controls, with Carnes and the doctor at the bomb racks. The
plane rose in huge spirals until the altimeter read four thousand feet.
The pilot straightened it out toward the south. The plane was alone in
the sky. For two hours it flew south and then veered to the east,
following the line of the Gulf of Archangel. The town came in sight at
last.

"Better drop down a couple of thousand, Lieutenant," said Dr. Bird into
the speaking tube. "We can't see much from this altitude."

The plane swung around in a wide circle, gradually losing altitude.
Carnes and the doctor hung over the side watching the ground below them.
As they watched a puff of smoke came from a low building a mile from the
edge of the town. Dr. Bird grabbed the speaking tube.

"Bank, McCready!" he barked, "They're firing at us."

The plane lurched sharply to one side. From a point a few yards below
them and almost directly along their former line of flight, a burst of
flame appeared in the air. The plane lurched and reeled as the blast of
the explosion reached it. From other points on the ground came other
puffs.

"Get out of here," shouted Dr. Bird. "There must be a dozen guns firing
at us. One of them will have the range directly."

From all around them came flashes and the roar of explosions. The plane
lurched and yawed in a sickening fashion. Lieutenant McCready fought
heroically with the controls, trying to prevent the sideslips which were
costing him altitude. Gradually the plane came under control and started
to climb. The shells burst nearer as the plane took a straighter course
and strove to fly out of the danger zone. Dr. Bird looked at the
air-speed meter.

"A hundred and eighty," he s